Subaru launches Exiga Crossover 7 in Japan

The Subaru Exiga is not a new vehicle to the brand's crossover lineup. First seeing daylight in 2007 at the Tokyo Motor Show, it went into production the following year. Since then, it has provided a stylish and relatively rugged option to buyers looking for versatility mixed with the Subaru driving experience.

And now, the Japanese carmaker ups the ante for the Exiga as it introduces an even more versatile variant to the range. Enter the all-new Exiga Crossover 7. As the name suggests, the Exiga Crossover 7 is a seven-seater crossover SUV. If it looks like a wagon to you, that's because, well, it actually is--with little extras to make it more special.

Up front, the trademark Subaru grille greets you as you see the car for the first time. The upswept headlamps give a hint of the model's equally handsome sibling, the Outback, while the body cladding adds to the rugged SUV vibe it projects. Modern touches include stylish front and rear bumpers, LED lighting for the distinctive daytime running lights, and an integrated rear spoiler, just to name a few. Being a crossover, this sits a bit higher than most passenger cars, at 170mm.

The interior, however, is what sets the Exiga Crossover 7 apart from its other Exiga brethren, as well as from other Subaru crossovers such as the Forester, the Outback and the XV. Seating for seven is standard, with all seats clad in tan leather, accented with cool blue-green stitching for a youthful look. Versatility is courtesy of the flexible second- and third-row seats that can fold in various ways for multiple cargo- and passenger-carrying capabilities. Driver and passengers will revel in the various creature comforts like heated, power-adjustable front seats, a touchscreen infotainment system, and numerous storage spaces scattered across the cabin.

Subaru hopes to sell roughly 600 units of this model a month when the company begins delivering the car this May. Want one? Well, you'll have to live in Japan as Fuji Heavy Industries will only be offering this model in its home market (at least for now). But with the demand for seven-seat SUVs growing rapidly in our market, who knows? Motor Image Pilipinas might just bring it in--if and when Subaru starts making a left-hand-drive version, that is.